Taxidermy form and method

ABSTRACT

The invention involves a taxidermy form comprising opposing face pieces having eye openings and nostrils which overlay an inner core having eye sockets, eyeballs, nasal cavities, and a nostril septum to form realistic eye settings and noses. The core is molded as a single unit with eye sockets, a nasal cavity, and a septum and the desired style eyeballs are adhered to the eye sockets and the nasal cavity are detailed and painted to replicate those of a living animal of the type to be mounted. Once the core is prepared, the outer face pieces are attached in an overlying relationship to expose a portion of the eyeballs through the eye openings and the underlying nostril cavities and septum through the nostrils, thereby creating a more realistic taxidermy mount which is easy to prepare. In an alternative embodiment, the two face pieces can be molded as a single unit, which can be easily slipped over the nose of the core and affixed in place in the same manner as the separate pieces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to taxidermy and, moreparticularly, to a taxidermy form and method.

[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0004] Taxidermy typically involves the preservation of animal hides andmounting them onto forms which replicate the sub-dermal structures ofthe animal to be preserved. Conventional taxidermy forms are molded inone piece which is then prepared to display the particular mount. Onepiece forms, however, often lack detail in particular facial featuresdue to the difficulties in molding eyes, eyelids, noses, nostrils, andsepta. Some prior art forms attempt to remedy these shortcomings byproviding receptacles for separate eye pieces or the like which can beglued into a preformed socket.

[0005] Prior art forms often require the use of additional parts whichmust be further attached to the form to give the final mount morerealistic detail in the eye and nose areas. For example, glass eyes maybe set into the form and clay added to recreate the proper eyelid andmuscle definition. Other forms use preformed eye capsules which stillmust be adhered to the form. Shaping these features is time consuming,tough to master, and the additional pieces can become displaced when theanimal skin is stretched over the form.

[0006] Conventional taxidermy forms are also difficult to detail.Typically, a taxidermist must apply detail paint to areas such as thenostril and septum through the smaller-sized, preformed nostrils.Additionally, an entirely new taxidermy head must be cast for eachmount, depending on the size of the head of the particular animal to bedisplayed.

[0007] 3. Objects and Advantages

[0008] It is a principal object and advantage of the present inventionto provide a taxidermy form which results in more realistic facialfeatures.

[0009] It is an additional object and advantage of the present inventionto provide a taxidermy form which is easier to prepare than state of theart forms.

[0010] It is a further object and advantage of the present invention toprovide a taxidermy form which can be used with different sized animals.

[0011] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will inpart be obvious, and in part appear hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, thepresent invention provides a taxidermy form with realistic facialfeatures which is easy to prepare and can be used with a variety ofdifferently sized animals. The form comprises a center core havingpreformed nostril cavities, a nostril septum, and eye sockets to whichartificial eyeballs may be attached. The taxidermy form furthercomprises two preformed face pieces having outer surface detail as wellas nostrils and eye openings formed therethrough. When the face piecesare attached to the center core in an overlying relationship, theeyeballs extend partially through the eye openings and the nostrilcavities, and the septum is visible through the nostrils. Alternatively,the two face pieces may be pre-formed as a single unit which is thenaffixed in covering relation to the center core.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the center core of the presentinvention.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a first exploded perspective view of the presentinvention before final assembly.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a second exploded perspective view of the presentinvention before final assembly.

[0016]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodimentof the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment afterfinal assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numeralsrefer to like parts throughout, there is seen in FIG. 1 a center core 12of the present invention having a pair of nostril cavities 14, a nostrilseptum 16, separating cavities 14, and a pair of anatomically correcteye sockets 18. Center core 12 may be formed by conventional moldingprocesses from ordinary moldable substances, such as urethane foam.Nostril cavities 14, nostril septum 16, and eye sockets 18 are preformedinto center core 12 during the molding process. As seen in FIG. 2,artificial eyeballs 20 are adhered to eye sockets 18 via a layer of anadhesive substance 30.

[0019] As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the present invention further comprisesleft and right face pieces 22 and 24, respectively, which are moldedindependently from common mold compounds, such as urethane foam, and areadapted for attachment to center core 12 in a covering relationship. Theouter surfaces of face pieces 22 and 24 have sculpting 36 to reproducethe muscular structure and facial features of the particular animalspecies to be preserved, while the inner surface is smooth to facilitatesecure adherence to core 12.

[0020] Face pieces 22 and 24 further comprise a pair of eye openings 26and a pair of nostrils 32 formed therethrough. The outer edges of eyeopenings 26 are molded to simulate eyelids 28 and are positioned toallow eyeballs 20 to extend partially therethrough when face pieces 22and 24 are adhered to core 12. Nostrils 32 partially expose theunderlying nostril cavities 14 and nostril septum 16.

[0021] As illustrated in FIG. 4, faces pieces 22 and 24 (not shown inFIG. 4) may be molded as a single unit 34 having an inner cavity thatcontours the outer surface of core 12. Single unit 34 is installed bysliding the inner cavity over nostril septum 16 and affixing unit 32 tocore 12 in the same manner as separate face pieces 22 and 24. While theshape and dimensions of the inner surface of single unit 34 or the innersurface of separate face pieces 22 and 24 must contour and correspondwith the shape and dimensions of the outer surface of core 12, the shapeand dimensions of the outer surface of single unit 34 or separate facepieces 22 and 24 may be molded to represent various animal face sizesand shapes.

[0022] Preparing the taxidermy form of the present invention comprisesthe steps of forming center core 12 and attaching eyeballs 20 to eyesockets 18 using adhesive 30 as the bonding agent. Nostril cavities 14and nostril septum 16 may also be prepared by painting or otherdetailing as desired by the taxidermist. Once eyeballs 20 are set insockets 18, a layer of adhesive is applied in covering relation to thesurface of core 12 and face pieces 22 and 24 (or single face unit 34)are attached in a covering relation to core 12. Alternatively, eyeballs20 may be first adhered to inner surface of face pieces 22 and 24 sothat eyeballs 20 seat in eye sockets 18 when face pieces 22 and 24 areattached to core 12. As seen in FIG. 5, the taxidermy form 10 of thepresent invention is complete when face pieces 22 and 24 (or single faceunit 34) are attached in covering relation to core 12, eyeballs 20extend partially through eye openings 26, and nostrils 32 partiallyexpose underlying nostril cavities 14.

[0023] Once form 10 is prepared, the skin (not shown) of the preservedanimal may be positioned pursuant to traditional methods. The use ofseparate core 12 and face pieces 22 and 24 creates a pair of realistic,overlapping eyelids 28 which allow the animal skin to be tucked betweeneyeballs 20 and eyelids 28 for a natural eye set. Additionally, ataxidermist may detail the nostril cavity 14 and nostril septum 16 whilethey are entirely exposed prior to face pieces 22 and 24 being affixedto core 12.

What is claimed is:
 1. A taxidermy form, comprising: a core; first andsecond eyeballs affixed to said core; a first face piece having a firstinner surface, a first outer surface, and a first eye opening formedtherethrough; and a second face piece having a second inner surface, asecond outer surface, and a second eye opening formed therethrough,wherein said first and second inner surfaces of said first and secondface pieces, respectively, are interconnected in at least partiallycovering relation to said core.
 2. The taxidermy form of claim 1,wherein said core further comprises first and second eye sockets, firstand second nostril cavities, and a nostril septum positioned betweensaid first and second nostril cavities.
 3. The taxidermy form of claim2, wherein said first and second eyeballs are disposed in said first andsecond eye sockets, respectively.
 4. The taxidermy form of claim 1,wherein said first and second eye openings are defined by first andsecond eyelids, respectively.
 5. The taxidermy form of claim 1, whereinsaid first and second eyeballs at least partially extend through saidfirst and second eye openings, respectively.
 6. The taxidermy form ofclaim 1, wherein said first and second nostrils are aligned with saidfirst and second nostril cavities, respectively.
 7. A taxidermy form,comprising: a core; first and second eyeballs affixed to said core; anda face piece having an inner cavity and first and second eye openingsformed therethrough, wherein said inner cavity is affixed in at leastpartially covering relation to said core.
 8. The taxidermy form of claim7, wherein said core further comprises first and second eye sockets,first and second nostril cavities, and a nostril septum positionedbetween said first and second nostril cavities.
 9. The taxidermy form ofclaim 8, wherein said first and second eyeballs are disposed in saidfirst and second eye sockets, respectively.
 10. The taxidermy form ofclaim 9, wherein said first and second eye openings are defined by firstand second eye lids, respectively.
 11. The taxidermy form of claim 7,wherein said first and second eyeballs extend through said first andsecond eye openings, respectively.
 12. The taxidermy form of claim 8,wherein said first and second nostrils are aligned with said first andsecond nostril cavities, respectively.
 13. A method of preparing ataxidermy form comprising a core having first and second eye sockets,first and second nostril cavities separated by a nostril septum, andfirst and second opposing face pieces having first and second eyeopenings and first and second nostrils, said method comprising the stepsof: adhering artificial eyeballs to said eye sockets; andinterconnecting said first and second face pieces in covering relationto said core such that said first and second eye openings align withsaid first and second eyeballs.
 14. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising the step of painting said first and second nostril cavitiesprior to interconnecting said first and second face pieces.
 15. Themethod of claim 13, wherein said first and second nostrils align withsaid first and second nostril cavities, respectively.
 16. A method ofpreparing a taxidermy form comprising a core having first and second eyesockets, first and second nostril cavities separated by a nostrilseptum, and a face piece having first and second eye openings and firstand second nostrils, said method comprising the steps of: adheringartificial eyeballs to said eye sockets; and interconnecting said firstand second face pieces in covering relationship to said core such thatsaid first and second eye openings align with said first and secondeyeballs.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step ofpainting the first and second nostril cavities prior to interconnectingsaid first and second face pieces.
 18. The method of claim 16, whereinsaid first and second nostrils align with said first and second nostrilcavities, respectively.